Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

This typically means, a feature has been applied, that does not comply with typical sheet metal proceedures....such as cuts not perpendicular to the thickness, usually through bends is where it is critical.

Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

Thanks for you reply. I did have a hole through the bend but when i deleted the hole, it still would not work. i have attached the original file for you to have a look at. Please treat this drawing as confidential!

Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

No worries.......but I am puzzled as to the actual cause, I wonder if it didn't occur when the mirror feature was added. See how the spanning tab merges with the bend region, it appears to extend beyond the boundaries, into the plastic zone.

Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

I don't use Sync....at all. But I looked at the part and have a suspect for you. Attached is a screen shot with circles around the problem area.

In general two things create problems with flattening:

Small holes in 3 way corners

Cuts that stops anyhwere through the plastic zone (in the bend radius).

both are huge problems for me. The only work around I have found that works for the cuts that stop dirring a bend is the flatten...cut...rebend workflow. No work around for small holes in 3 way corners.

Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

There's a few ugly steps on the holes in the bend as well. As 12GAGE alluded to above it is often better to unbend and then tidy the geometry up with cuts as appropriate and then rebend again. But that requires the Ordered workflow as far as I can tell. I never use Sync either.

Re: Sheet metal part wont flatten

Yes, I was just looking for a sync unbend command while I had that file open and could not find one. I was not particularly surprised, as when you think about it, the unbend command is more for work-arounds to replicate the manufacturing process - and that seems to go against the grain for sync workflows which tend to look at the "finished product" rather than how you are going to make it (where ordered shines a whole lot better).